Worgen Hard at New Beginnings
by F8th
Summary: Pre-Cataclysm. The fall of the Lich King brought satisfaction to the Forsaken and Death Knights of Acherus, but, for a lone Death Knight just recently released from His grip, it has brought a chance at  un life. Reviews very much appreciated.


Author's note: This was something that occurred to me when I decided to try out a Worgen Death Knight. The idea that you were a former servant of Arugal never sat well with me, so, naturally, my brain concocted other reasons for Worgen Death Knights to exist, and this was my favorite one. I don't own any part of the Warcraft universe save any OC's I might create.

_Icecrown Citadel, a few hours after the fall of Arthas_

Somewhere in the vaults beneath Icecrown Citadel, a figure stirs in its cell. _He's gone. My master is no more. _The figure sits up on its cot and stares through the bars. _What will become of me? Will I remain in this cage for eternity with only my Runeblade to keep me company? _The figure approaches the bars and shakes them, as if expecting to be freed any moment, and, in the dim torchlight, its face is visible. Even by the standards of Death Knights, this creature is a monster. It's a Worgen, a half-human, half-wolf creature.

* * *

At first he was merely a beast, then he was given sentience and power as part of an experiment by the Lich King. It was revolutionary, to say the least, a mindless animal, albeit a humanoid one, had been made into a Death Knight, and, as a bonus, he had retained all of the ferocity of a mindless animal. After his creation came his training, and, like any dog, he learned quickly, growing in power rapidly, but, he only saw actual combat once, after which he was restricted to the cell he now resided in. His mission had been simple. All he had to do was escort some acolytes to the Fleshwerks, but they were ambushed by several fallen Death Knights, Knights of the Ebon Blade. He slaughtered the renegades, ripping arms from their sockets with his bare hands, tearing out throats with his teeth, and slashing at them with his runeblade when he had the chance, but the acolytes were caught in the crossfire. It wasn't because they had been unfortunate enough to be struck by a stray spell; he had turned on them after the renegades were dead, lost in the bloodlust his kind were known for.

When the haze of battle cleared from his mind, he found himself in the very cell he currently resided in. A short while after coming to, who else visited him but his master! **"Do you know why I had you locked in there?" **He asked. The beast merely shook his head, unwilling to speak directly to his master. The Lich King pointed at him damningly, **"I did so because you are a failed experiment. I gave you a simple task, keep two men alive, and, not only were they killed, but it was by your hand! A soldier follows orders, but a beast slaughters all in its path. I have no use for beasts."** The Lich King turned and left, and now he would never return.

* * *

The sound of metal boots clanking against stone distracted the beast from his musings. "What do you expect to find down here?" an masculine voice with an empty echo asked, "Now useless battle plans, old weapons, or maybe Arthas's favorite boot? We're wasting our time." "I intend to make sure that every inch of Icecrown is empty. That includes the bottom levels." a venomous female voice responded. The clanking became closer and closer, its sources eventually arriving at his cell. The empty voice turned out to belong to what smelled like another Death Knight, and the female voice belonged to a shapely elf who smelled strongly of death. "What do we have here?" she asked in what would have been a sultry voice if not for the venom behind it. "It looks like Arthas had a pet."

The beast growled at the insult, "I am nobody's pet, elf." his voice, while more guttural than the man's, also possessed a distinct echo, identifying his as a Death Knight. The elf's expression twisted into a snarl, and the man spoke up in her place. "Well, what are you then?" The beast shrugged. "My master referred to me as a beast, but never gave me a true name." The man nodded, "It is safe for me to assume that Arthas was your master?" "I knew him only as Master, but if that was one of his other names, then yes, Arthas was my master. Are you here to end my life as well?" the beast asked, sounding tired of everything. The man scratched his beard for a moment, thinking, "If that is what you want, I don't blame you. However, if I could offer you a better alternative, would you take it?" The beast stared at the man, surprised that there was another path open to him, "I would be grateful for such an alternative, for I have no desire to follow my master into the beyond, yet." The man gave the smallest hint of a smile, "Then here's my offer: You become a Knight of the Ebon Blade, one of the ones who left your master, but, if you accept, you'll need a proper name."

The beast nodded in acceptance. "I will accept your offer, Knight of the Ebon Blade, if only to escape my cage." the beast grew silent for a moment, "I believe I have a proper name for you to call me." The man gestured for him to proceed, "And what would that be?" "Let me begin by telling you that I have been in this cell for many months, and I have had much time to think. In that time, the concept of names has been one of my favorite subjects, mostly because they felt like a luxury I was denied. I believe that a name should represent the individual that possesses it, so you may simply call me 'Beast'."


End file.
